1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a marine engine. In particular, the present invention relates to a lift arrangement for an engine of an outboard drive.
2. Description of Related Art
Outboard motors today commonly employ a vertically oriented internal combustion engine. The engine conventionally is mounted with its output shaft (i.e., crankshaft) extending along a generally vertical axis.
The installation of the engine in this orientation is made difficult because prior engines conventionally are not suspended from motor lifts with their crankshafts vertically oriented during assembly. Rather, engine designs have dictated that the engine be picked up at a point off center from the center of gravity of the engine.
For instance, in a four-cycle engine, the position of the flywheel assembly requires that the engine be suspended from a point off a vertical axis which passes through the center of gravity of the engine. In a four-cycle engine, with a cylinder block interposed between a crankcase and a cylinder head, the center of gravity lies to the side of the crankshaft axis, toward the cylinder head and beneath the flywheel assembly. Because flywheel assemblies typically cover most of the upper end of the crankcase and the cylinder block, engines have been suspended from a point on the cylinder head. Specifically, outboard engines commonly include an eyelet attached to the cylinder head for this purpose.
Prior outboard engines, when hung from the conventional eyelet, however, hang in a skewed position. The engine thus must be swung to vertically orient the crankshaft before the crankshaft is connected with the drive shaft and the engine is lowered onto the lower tray of the outboard motor housing. Vertical orientation of the crankshaft represents an additional assembly step and complicates the assembly process.